South Taranaki’s newest road guarantees access for residents and businesses

Ngā Rauru chairman Mike Neho and South Taranaki Mayor Phil Nixon cut the ribbon to officially declare Te Ranganuku Rd open.

The long-awaited extension to South Taranaki’s Nukumaru Station Rd is finally open to traffic.

The new 8.3km road - Te Ranganuku - was officially opened on Wednesday by South Taranaki Mayor Phil Nixon and Ngā Rauru chairman Mike Neho.

It runs from a new intersection on State Highway 3 - between Pākaraka and Waitōtara - to Waiinu Beach Rd.

Following the road’s blessing led by Ngāti Ruaiti Hapū and Ngā Rauru, representatives from the South Taranaki District Council, New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA), residents and the Government witnessed the official opening.

Nixon said the $12.1 million project, two-thirds of which was paid for by the Government through its Shovel-Ready Projects Fund and NZTA, represented a major investment in the southernmost part of the district which guaranteed security of access for residents and businesses.

“South Taranaki District Council made a commitment to provide a secure, safe and reliable access route to the Waiinu Beach settlement, guaranteeing the security of access for residents in the event of future floods, as well as the ongoing financial viability of businesses operating in the area,” Nixon said.

The project to build the new road was mooted after the June 2015 floods closed the Limeworks Bridge, the only access road to the Waitōtara meatworks and Waiinu Beach community. It was the fourth time in 26 years the bridge had to be closed for a significant period while repairs were made. The new road will eliminate the risk and cost of business interruption to the community and local industry in the event of future flooding.

Last April, the council approved an extra $2m in loan funding for the project, taking the price tag to just over $12m, mainly due to a 30 per cent increase in the cost of roading construction, plus other factors including legal costs, changes to rail crossing standards and design variations.

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment representative Bridget Sullivan congratulated the council for its diligence and care throughout the project, particularly in managing the funding aspects and keeping up communication with the Government.

“This was critical for the economic safety and resilience of the area, and this is a great example of central and local government collaboration,” she said.

Whanganui MP Carl Bates said the project would “provide our communities and businesses with the infrastructure so critical to their ongoing viability”.